Capital Equipment News June 2016

How to meet FORKLIFT TRAINING REGULATION

T he need to send employees for forklift training is not only fuelled by its po- tential to reduce costs and injury but is an important legal requirement as well. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 85 of 1993, Driven Machinery Regulations 18 (11) says: • Working environments have to be free of any hazards. Operation of forklifts falls under this. • All lifting machinery or equipment operators must be trained by accredited providers regardless of the capacity of the equipment. What does this mean for me? According to the MD of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, employees need to be well-informed about forklift operation. “You may not instruct any employee to operate a forklift if they have not been trained and found competent by an accredited training provider. It is your responsibility to ensure your forklift operators have a valid license and if they do not, to ensure they receive the correct training.” What if I do not follow legislation? It is important to remember the law is meant to protect both employer and employee and you need to do your part to comply. “You can be prosecuted if something goes wrong and the Department of Labour finds your

About MasterDrive MasterDrive is an Advanced Driver Training company with a core focus on Defensive Driver Training. It is a dedicated team of Driver Education and Safety Awareness Practitioners capable of supplying and customising any course to suit your company or individual needs. The aim of MasterDrive is to become the leading provider of preventative driver techniques that set new benchmarks, promote life and improve profitability for all. It defines global driver standards in road safety, through innovative products and professional training excellence. AVIS FLEET SERVICES created MasterDrive in 1999. MasterDrive intends to improve exist- ing driving skills to reduce costs in three key areas: vehicle maintenance, fuel usage and crashes. These are three of the biggest ex- penses to a company’s bottom line. This is a successful entity on its own and now sup- plies a variety of Advanced Driver Training courses not only to AVIS but to a host of other companies and individuals as well. MasterDrive is now involved in ARRIVE ALIVE, STAY ALERT, STAY ALIVE, as well as many other road safety initiatives. b

employees do not have the correct licenses to operate lifting equipment.”

What is the next step? You need to find a provider of forklift training who has the correct accreditation. “If you undertake training with a provider who does not have the necessary accreditation you could still be found in contravention of the law,” says Herbert. Trainers can be in-house or from an equipment supplier. They need accreditation from the South African Qualification Authority and deliver training programmes that have been approved by the National Qualifications Framework. Trainers must have approval from the Chief Inspector in terms of the Driven Machinery Regulations. What are the benefits for me? Besides regulatory compliance, your business stands to benefit in a number of ways: • Reduced wear and tear on forklifts • Reduce costs as a result of less accidents and damage to goods • Better performance from forklift machines What accreditation should a trainer have?

• Improved productivity • Greater professionalism

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS JUNE 2016 8